News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-10-13

says, rs ID the hrSt 2UU yards OF the
chase. 1t seems to take that distance
for the dogs to get the scent fixed. If
we put the dogs on q trail, and before
they have covered the 200 yards they
come to where somebody has crossed
the course Of the one we are following,
there is danger that they will leave the
right trail and go after the wrong per-
son. But when the first 200 yards have
been covered the chase is pretty sure.
1t doesn't matter then if many persons
have crossed the path of the prisoner;
the dogs follow the scent without any
doubt. As they run their blood warns
up and they grow surer."
Mr.. Simmons was asked about the
various devices adopted to throw the
dogs off the scent. "Dogs of pure
breed and good training" he replied,
sit is almost impossible to throw off.
Dragging brush behind will not do it.
[ have trailed men through running
water, and even on horseback. One of
the very few cases l have known of get
ting away was where the prisoner
jumped into wagon. That threw the
dogs off. We have trailed prisoners
right into and through the streets of
Birmingham. That, of course, is hard.
Hundreds of people may have tramped
over the ground after the convict has
passed On the dirt roads of the coun-
try the trail is easily followed, and in
the woods it is impossible to get away.
We ran negro into a big swamp one
time. He got on a mule and rode nine
miles, then got off and ran, but the
dogs followed the trail without break
"The scent which the dogs follow
must be in the feet" Mr.. Simmons
said in reply to another question.
CATER that negro have just spoken of
got on the mule the dogs kept his trail
by jumping up and smelling the bushes
where his feet touched as herode along.
Changing shoes dosen't help man any.
trick. The bigger ears they have the
truer they are on the trail. When they
have run while they get hot an mad.
If they overtake convict then they
will do him harm"
cit is claimed in some of the Georgia
camps that the hounds don't bite-that
they only bay when they come up with
the convict, was suggested"
'"That isn't true with the true breed
of trailers. They will take hold if they
come on the man while they are hot,
and will tear him. The bites make bad
wounds; they are very apt to tester.
When we start the dogs out we follow
them just as hard as we can, to see that
they don't injure the convict. Usually
he takes to tree. When we come up
we drive the dogs back. AS soon as they
cool off a little they are entirely harm
less"
Hanging up in the stockade yard is
queer-looking object. At a little dis
tance it might be taken for bundle of
life preservers. 1t is a heavily padded
suit of clothes. Once a week, or pos
sibly little oftener, a convict is dressed
in the padded suit and told to go. He
is given two-hours start usually.
Then the dogs are led out and shown
the trail. Away they go, twelve OF fif-
teen in the pack, the older hounds i'll
the front and the pups behind, every
one of them yelping. This is dead ear
nest work for the dogs, but, of course,
game of "hare and hounds" for the
trusty In the padded suit, and farce
for the officials who ride to the point
previously agreed upon for the chase to
end. Practice has reduced the chance
for escape from the dogs Sonsluef"olS
less than one IN ten, auCl Iue hno"A0'SS
of this on the part of the cOnvicts rend-
ers them little inclined to make the eff
fort. The dogs at Pratt mines are more
feared than the guards are.
"How fast will the dogs get over
ground on the trail 2" Mr.. Simmons was
asked
"The other day." he replied, eve
started convict out and appointed a
place about six miles distant, where he
was to take tree when the dogs were
near. The negro travel
ed for two hours, doubling and trying
vari' us tricks to confuse the dogs.
Then We put the dogs on the trail, and
rode direct to the place where the chase
was to end. We went about as fast as
we wanted to ride. When we got to
the tree which the negro had climbed
the dogs were there, having gone over
all the ground he had covered in the
two hours. They must have run it in
less than four minutes to the mile.
When we start out in earnest to trail
convict it takes hard riding to keep any
where near the dogs"